Text Expander for Windows » PhraseExpress http://www.text-expander.com Learn how to use the Windows TextExpander PhraseExpress efficiently Wed, 01 Sep 2010 21:06:46 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Insert a future or past date or time within a text snippet http://www.text-expander.com/insert-a-future-or-past-date-or-time-within-a-text-snippet http://www.text-expander.com/insert-a-future-or-past-date-or-time-within-a-text-snippet#comments Wed, 01 Sep 2010 11:22:27 +0000 Michael http://www.text-expander.com/?p=129 PhraseExpress cannot only insert the current time or date but also output a date or time that is in the future or past.

Here are two examples (assume it’s a Thursday and the time is 10:45 PM):

  • If the Autotext is “in one hour”,  the required macro function would be {#datetime -f t -s 1H}. The text that will be pasted after you type the corresponding Autotext In one hour will be 11:45 PM.
  • If the phrase text is “Three days ago was a {#datetime -f ddddd -s -3D}”, the text output will be “Three days ago was a Monday“.

You can add or subtract years, months, days, hours, minutes, or seconds. This can be easily configured with the macro input dialog as shown in this step-by-step tutorial video:

Enjoy!

P.S.: Please do not miss our other video tutorial about the date/time stamp function. It will show you how you can output the current time or date by just pressing a hotkey…

]]> http://www.text-expander.com/insert-a-future-or-past-date-or-time-within-a-text-snippet/feed 0 Boilerplate templates with input forms http://www.text-expander.com/boilerplate-templates-with-input-forms http://www.text-expander.com/boilerplate-templates-with-input-forms#comments Mon, 19 Apr 2010 18:09:19 +0000 Michael http://www.text-expander.com/?p=117 PhraseExpress cannot only insert static text snippets but also prompt users for additional input before inserting a boilerplate template into a document.
This video illustrates the simple procedure how to create a form step-by-step:

Please find additional information in the PhraseExpress manual.

Please note, that this particular feature requires the Professional Edition of PhraseExpress.

]]> http://www.text-expander.com/boilerplate-templates-with-input-forms/feed 2 Creating and using text variables http://www.text-expander.com/creating-and-using-text-variables http://www.text-expander.com/creating-and-using-text-variables#comments Tue, 13 Apr 2010 12:42:50 +0000 Michael http://www.text-expander.com/?p=113 This video is for advanced PhraseExpress users who are experienced with macro programming.

The video tutorial shows you how to create text variables that store dynamic text information for use with multiple phrases:

The macro function #setphrase is used to create a phrase that acts as a text variable. This text variable phrase can then be inserted with the macro function #insert into any other phrase.

As you can see, macro functions can be used to do very tricky and useful tasks.

]]> http://www.text-expander.com/creating-and-using-text-variables/feed 0 Autotext with multiple choice http://www.text-expander.com/autotext-with-multiple-choice http://www.text-expander.com/autotext-with-multiple-choice#comments Tue, 13 Apr 2010 09:17:38 +0000 Michael http://www.text-expander.com/?p=109 The general purpose of Text expander programs is to expand abbreviations, like “asap” into long terms such as “as soon as possible”.

However, most these programs fail to assign the same shortcut to multiple different long forms. In our example, “asap” would also be suitable for the term “Aviation Safety Action Program” but it could not be handled by average text expander software.

The Text Expander PhraseExpress, however, allows you to re-use the same abbreviation for as many phrases as you like. In such case, PhraseExpress will offer you a popup menu directly next to the cursor for easy selection of the desired item.

This video tutorial will show you, how easy it is to use:

Please learn more about the Autotext options in the manual.

]]> http://www.text-expander.com/autotext-with-multiple-choice/feed 0 Autotext for medical transcription http://www.text-expander.com/autotext-for-medical-transcription http://www.text-expander.com/autotext-for-medical-transcription#comments Thu, 08 Apr 2010 14:05:11 +0000 Michael http://www.text-expander.com/?p=103 This is a video tutorial for advanced users of the text expander PhraseExpress.

PhraseExpress can expand text shortcuts to longer snippets but it can also start suggesting longer words or sentences if you begin typing them.

Here you can see an example how to configure the program for medical transcription purposes:

The text expansions are not limited to single words. You can even trigger complete sentences, such as diagnostic reports by beginning to type an abbreviation.

The medical transcription wordbase as shown in the video can be downloaded from the PhraseExpress website.

Please do not mix up the incremental Autotext as explained here with the text prediction feature. It appears to work similar but uses a wholly different data source. The text prediction feature is based on your normal everyday text input whereas the incremental Autotext is only suggesting Autotexts that exist in your phrase library.

]]> http://www.text-expander.com/autotext-for-medical-transcription/feed 0 Text Expander for Windows http://www.text-expander.com/textexpander-for-windows http://www.text-expander.com/textexpander-for-windows#comments Mon, 29 Mar 2010 21:50:55 +0000 Michael http://www.text-expander.com/?p=93 The Autotext utility PhraseExpress can now also import text snippets created with the Mac software TextExpander from SmileOnMyMac:

TextExpander import

PhraseExpress also supports all TextExpander macro functions, e.g. to insert manual text input, nesting of snippets and date/time stamps.

Here is a one minute step-by-step video tutorial:

Watch in higher resolution

Download PhraseExpress for Windows

‘TextExpander’ is a trademark of SmileOnMyMac, LLC.

]]> http://www.text-expander.com/textexpander-for-windows/feed 1 Customize the SmartSearch feature http://www.text-expander.com/customize-the-smartsearch-feature http://www.text-expander.com/customize-the-smartsearch-feature#comments Mon, 29 Mar 2010 14:22:55 +0000 Michael http://www.text-expander.com/?p=84 The text expander PhraseExpress includes a useful search function that allows you to search for any phrase that is highlighted in any application in a range of search engines.

This video shows you how to add any search webpage of your choice to the PhraseExpress SmartSearch selection:

Please find more information in the manual.

]]> http://www.text-expander.com/customize-the-smartsearch-feature/feed 0 Insert a handwritten signature by Autotext http://www.text-expander.com/insert-a-handwritten-signature-by-autotext http://www.text-expander.com/insert-a-handwritten-signature-by-autotext#comments Sun, 14 Mar 2010 12:40:17 +0000 Michael http://www.text-expander.com/?p=81 PhraseExpress can not only manage text snippets but also insert any bitmap triggered by an Autotext abbreviation. This allows you to insert your hand-written signature into your email or Word document by just entering an Autotext.

See how this is done in PhraseExpress:

]]> http://www.text-expander.com/insert-a-handwritten-signature-by-autotext/feed 0 Enclose text with quotation marks http://www.text-expander.com/enclose-text-with-quotation-marks http://www.text-expander.com/enclose-text-with-quotation-marks#comments Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:56:01 +0000 Michael http://www.text-expander.com/?p=77 The text inserter PhraseExpress can also modify existing text. This video tutorial shows, how to create macro that enclose any text with quotation marks by pressing a single hotkey:

The manual contains additional information about the macro {#clipboard} that is used in this tutorial.

]]> http://www.text-expander.com/enclose-text-with-quotation-marks/feed 0 Insert a date stamp with a hotkey http://www.text-expander.com/insert-a-date-stamp-with-a-hotkey http://www.text-expander.com/insert-a-date-stamp-with-a-hotkey#comments Wed, 21 Oct 2009 08:39:55 +0000 Michael http://www.text-expander.com/?p=74 The text insertion program PhraseExpress can not only manage frequently used text templates but also insert the current date or time stamp with a single keypress.

This video illustrates how to configure PhraseExpress in just a few easy steps:

Learn more about the date and time stamp feature in the manual.

]]> http://www.text-expander.com/insert-a-date-stamp-with-a-hotkey/feed 1